Regional
Suve, FIJI — China has given the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat an annual contribution of $US1.1 million.
In a handover ceremony, the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, welcomed the funding, done under the Pacific Islands Forum Co-operation Fund.
Puna said China...
Honolulu, HAWAII — About 77% of Hawaii’s population is now fully vaccinated against COVID. But only about half of those people went back to get their first booster doses.
And just 15% got their second booster, which is restricted to those at higher risk of severe disease.
Now, state health...
Apia, SAMOA — Samoa's financially strapped national airline, Samoa Airways, will spend a further $3 million tālā to pay unpaid redundancy entitlements for 30 staff who lost jobs during the closure of international borders.
Interim Chief Executive, Fauo'o Fatu Tielu, said staff were hired to work on...
Apia, SAMOA — The Samoan Parliament has unanimously re-elected Head of State, Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, to a second five-year term.
The re-election put to rest much speculation that he would be replaced by the Fa'atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi, or FAST, government.
The first order...
Apia, SAMOA — Five years after the Samoa Government launched a sex offender registry there are just over 100 sex offenders registered, including one woman.
Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said the registry protected women and children.
In March, Supreme Court Justice, Vui Clarence...
WASHINGTON — The United States has successfully tested a long-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile after twice postponing the launch to avoid stoking tensions over Ukraine and Taiwan.
The Air Force Global Strike Command launched the unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile over...
Sydney, AUSTRALIA — Qantas is expanding its South Pacific presence with the addition of Tonga to its network, offering a new tropical destination for Australian travellers to explore.
Following the recent reopening of Tonga’s borders, Qantas will fly weekly between Sydney and Nuku’alofa’s Fua’amotu...
Honolulu, HAWAII — The Hawaii state Department of Health reported Tuesday four additional monkeypox cases in Hawaii, bringing the total number in an ongoing outbreak to 16.
The additional cases include an Oahu resident with a history of travel outside Hawaii, an Oahu resident whose case is linked...
Apia, SAMOA — Aviation.com is reporting that Samoa Airways will take out a bank loan to pay redundancy compensation to staff furloughed in 2021. And at the same time, the Samoa government is planning to reopen Fagali'I airport, which closed at the end of 2019 when all services moved to Faleolo....
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND — Pasifika women in leadership across New Zealand were recognized at the recently held Women in Governance awards at Parliament.
The awards honour the achievements of women who are governance leaders and directors, all making a difference to achieving gender and cultural...